Hot Mess #7 - Prop 47
Where you safer in 2014?
There’s a lot of hoopla in California over Prop 47 recently, specially, there’s a big push to “reform” it and make it “tougher” on crime. Well, why?
Simply put, retail crime is sky high, and stores are closing down because they can’t afford to be open in certain areas of California. Just ask Walmart and Target.
What makes Prop 47 a HOT MESS and why the push to reform it now?
Honestly, getting the answers to Prop 47, what it is, and how it has affected the state of California isn’t easy. It’s not an easy Proposition to understand and have me break it down to you in a nutshell.
I’m going to giving you some basics. First, I’d like to share one of my observations as I was researching this topic. #1 – There’s a lot of written gobbly gook in the actual proposition. Think of how Kamala Harris talks – she talks in a word salad. There’s a lot of “word salad” in Prop 47 which leads to confusion. And when I’m confused, I don’t know what to think, so I try to find things or people that can honestly give me the truth about the word salad. In 2014 in California, it was really easy to believe the best of people when in fact, we should have been more discerning.
Proposition 47’s ballot title was “Criminal Sentences. Misdemeanor Penalties. Initiative Statute.”
Wait? I thought it was the “Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act?” No. Again, distinction in language should be made. SUPPORTERS of Prop 47 called it the Safe Neighborhoods and School Act.” BIG DIFFERENCE.
For a well intention voter who does minimal research doesn’t Safe Neighborhoods and School Act sound like something you should want? Criminal Sentences. Misdemeanor Penalties. Initiative Statute” sounds sooooo boring and now voters have to research it. Sigh….
That’s Gotcha #1 because if you read the proposition, there’s nothing safe about it and what goes to the schools is a joke.
Here’s how the Democrats in California “gotcha.” -- Gotcha #2 – they Title Ballot Propositions the OPPOSITE of what the proposition is all about.
On November 4, 2014, Prop 47 passed with 56% of and 4.238,156 votes. The “Nos” were 40% with 2,871,943. I remember voting No. And it is heartwarming to know there were 2.8 million in this state with a lick of common sense. I have a sneaky suspicion it’s even more now.
Proposition 47 was co-authored by Michael Romano and George Gascon. Both are social justice warriors. Romano at the time was director of the Stanford Justice Advocacy Project. And we all know how Gascon has treated the cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles.
THE MEAT AND POTATOES
Prop 47 confirmed AB 2372 (which passed in 2010) basically making any theft under $950.00 petty theft. Prior to this, auto and agricultural petty thefts were still $400. [1]
It classified nonviolent drug offenses, (that is depending on the weight of the drug) turning those that possessed a felony penalty into misdeanmor. So, now Drug offenses that used to be felonies are now misdeanmor. – that made the penalties for these crimes much, much less.
There is a forgery aspect as well. Forgery which used to be a wobbler, if it was under $950 could now be charged as a misdeanmor.
There is a receiving stolen property aspect as well. Anything under $950 was now a misdeanmor.
Critical thinking question: What do you think happens when you turn felony crimes into misdeanmors?
Criminals don’t go to jail.
The primary goal of Prop 47 was to ease PRISON CROWDING by adopting alternative sentencing to nonviolent crimes.
MORE MEAT AND POTATOES
Money saved from not sending criminals to jail on felonies would go into the Neighborhood and Schools Fund which is run by BSCC (Board of State and Community Corrections.)
The money saved would be sent:
65% to BSCC for substance abuse and mental health services
25% to CDE (California Dept of Education) for crime prevention and school support
10% to victims of violence for victims’ services.
Mind you, I’m giving you the nutshell here, but it takes some time to sift through the word salad.
So…. How do you get the money from the BSCC, CDE or Victims services?
You have to apply for it? Who? Anyone can apply for it. ANYONE.
In Feb 2020, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti was quoted: "I don’t know where that money is," Garcetti said. "I’ve been calling for 3 years for Sacramento to deliver that money. We haven’t seen these dollars. We need to have those dollars that were promised from Sacramento under Prop 47.”
Now do a public documents search. You’ll discover that Garcetti applied for an RECEIVED $6 million in 2017 from Prop 47 funds and his OWN PRESS RELEASE said so.
If you ask George Gascon, Los Angeles has received $12 million of Prop 47 monies.
Who took it and where did it go?
Go to this link to see where the money went in 2022: https://www.bscc.ca.gov/s_bsccprop47/
Most of the money goes to Counties. Some cities get some money and some police departments.
It’s interesting to note that 2022 the LA City Attorney’s office (run by Gascon the co-author of this bill) RECEIVED 6 MILLION for LA Door (Diversion Outreach and Opportunities for Recovery)
REALLY?????????
To hear the Commie Democrats tell it, LA Door was a big success, but you tell me that 74% of engagement resulting in 2 months of consistent engagement is a success for the money you are spending you’re a loser.
Honestly, the money diverted to BSCC and such would be better served in the OLD system it was in. (And if you’re worried about prision overcrowding, BUILD A NEW PRISION!! Trust California has plenty of room!)
Trust me, there is a TON more to research where the money went however, I simply don’t have that time. Go the references and look up the bscc link. CRITICAL THINKING EXERCISE: Once you find out where the money went, do a little digging yourself and then ask yourself this question: Was the money used effectively as per the intention of Prop 47 or was it laundered?
2024
According to Prop 47, I could steal $900 from the local Ralphs at 2 pm. Leave running. Ralphs has me on tape, but I get away. At 4 pm I go steal $925 from the same Ralphs. They have me on tape and I get away. At 6 pm I can go to the same Ralphs steal $945 and this time they get me. They call the cops and make a private citizens arrest. I go to jail. Those are 3 separate offenses. Not 1. I’m booked for petty theft for the 6 pm theft which is a misdemeanor and I get no cash bail because, you know, jail, is not equitable. At 9 pm I’m back at the Ralphs stealing another $900. If I was booked on the felony I go to jail at least for a couple of hours and can’t reoffend at 9 pm.
This happens all the time in California. Just ask Walmart.
Sure, stores can use a private citizen arrest for under $900.00 but what good is it when the criminal gets right out because of no cash bail?
Criminals go into stores with calculators to make sure they don’t go over $950. No joke.
Okay, I’m Ralphs. I’ve had a bad day and lost $2600 dollars worth of merchandise. Now what? You can still make a report with the Police concerning the incident. Then you take that report to your insurance and recover your losses.
WHAT???????? And insurance companies INCREASE their premiums.
Do you see there’s no accountability and the insurance companies are taking it on the chin.
As a bonus since there’s 4 reports for petty theft, that drops the crime stats. Crime is down! (We only count felonies.) Sure, crime is down because after a while, is it worth it? The criminal who just stole $900.00 is out on NO CASH BAIL instead of in jail on a felony.
“We have seen rampant thefts across California,” Schubert told me. “Those who say thefts are down have no concept of reality. You can walk into any grocery store and spend a half-hour and watch it happen. People are not reporting anymore because they know nothing will happen. Nothing. The effort it takes to report something when there are no consequences, it’s too much effort.”
“The governor is wrong,” Cooper told me. “Shoplifting has been decriminalized, so it’s underreported. They’re not going to file a report. Police don’t respond.”
“There’s a direct correlation between rampant serial theft and voters being duped by proponents of Proposition 47,” the assemblyman asserted in a statement last month after flash mobs hit high-end stores. “We are watching an epidemic of theft caused by Proposition 47 that over promised and under delivered.”
ONE LAST NOTE:
Critics of the critics say Prop 47 has generated BIG amounts of money to help mental health services and recidivism. Sure, the money is there – I’ve referenced it. NOW show me what there is to show for Prop 47 money. NOTHING. Do you really think Prop 47 money is helping with the mental health crisis in this state or is it being LAUNDERED?
I’d have to dig deeper, and I don’t want to at this time – but ask yourself. Is the State of California better off now or in 2014? I bet you’re your answer is that it was better off in 2014.
The sane delegates in the CA Assembly tried to repeal Prop 47 in early 2023. The commie democrats said “No, it’s working great.”
Now the people of California are trying to get another proposition on the NOV ballot to “Modify” Prop 47. Believe it or not, London Breed knows what’s good for her and is supporting this ballot measure. From the Washington Examiner:
The Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act has received more than 360,000 signatures from California voters to place it on the ballot. To qualify the measure for the 2024 ballot, 546,651 valid signatures are required by law.
Change has to start somewhere in this state. Let me know if there’s something I missed. Again, I’m trying to really bring this down to a level everyone can understand and it’s not easy reading through the word salad it is.
References:
https://www.kcra.com/article/california-proposition-47-crime-misdemeanors-petition/46556860
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_California_Proposition_47
https://www.bscc.ca.gov/s_bsccprop47/
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1500-1.html
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1500-2.html
https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-prop-47-grant-awards-20170329-htmlstory.html
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-12-09/skelton-organized-theft-proposition-47
https://blog.electkevinkiley.com/end-47-2/
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/crime/2847005/california-mayors-join-fight-dismantle-law-lowered-penalties-effort-combat-crime/
[1] AB 2372, passed in 2010, increased the amount of the petty theft from $400 to $950 for most crimes except for Auto theft and agricultural theft.